Tobias throws his arm over his eyes. “I don’t understand how you see me like that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you do but…sometimes, I feel…like the complete opposite.”
My smile fades once I hear the dark tone of his voice. Is hesad?
I grab his chin and tilt it so he can look up at my eyes. “I wish you could see yourself the same way I see you. You’d understand why I say the things I do.”
He takes a moment to register my words, but once he does, I see the love warming his face as a soft smile appears.
Good.
If he needs me to repeat sweet words to him every single day, I will. I’ll doanythingfor him.
Yet still, I notice his body has gone tense and he nervously licks his bottom lip like he always does when he’s holding something in.
“Hey.” I squeeze him between my thighs. “You okay?”
“I’m good.” Tobias nods his head, facing forward again. He’s lying. I know it.
“Okay, that’s it." I sit him up."Somethings been eating at you, I can tell. Talk to me.”
He breathes. “I need to tell you something.”
“What is it?” Genuinely confused on what it could be. He connects his eyes with mine before his gaze darts away. There’s a beat between us and the silence really scares me.
What’s got him so stressed that he felt like he couldn’t tell me?
I turn his head towards me again. “Aftereverythingwe’ve been through together…you know you can tell me anything, right?” He licks his lips, swallowing deeply. I see his mouth begin to open. The words right on his tongue. I smile softly at his courage. “You’llalwaysbe my superhero.” I add, cupping the back of his neck and squeezing.
It seems as though that comment snaps him out of his head and back into the present moment. Clearing his throat slightly, he shifts in my lap.
“Um…a guy came in earlier this week to meet about the restaurant.”
Oh. Okay.Random.“Oh yeah?”
“You know Hartman and company?”
I rake my brain for the connection. “The company that owns all those restaurants and stores?”
Tobias nods slowly. “Yeah. Paul Hartman.”
My brows knit together, still unsure where he’s going. “Why’d he come in?”
Tobias sucks in a breath, sitting up to face me. “I guess he wants to invest inJude’s Place.Become sort of a partner in it. I don’t really know.” He chews his bottom lip looking down at the knitted blanket beneath us.
I let out a sharp laugh. “What a prick!” I shake my head, walking over to the fan across the room. It may be September but it’s hot up here with Tobias and I.
Tobias looks at me, shocked, his eyes curiously scanning my face as I come to sit back behind him. “Why do you say that?”
I laugh. “He clearly just wants to snagJude’s Placefor himself and leave us in the dust. There’s no way.”
Tobias is quiet for a moment. “He talked about…helping us support the place.”
I huff. “You believe that crock of shit? You think we needhelpbecause I think we’ve been doing just fine.” I lay beside him, reaching for the bag of Doritos next.
Tobias nods his head, picking at a loose thread on the blanket below him. “Yeah…no, you’re right." He takes a moment to look at me as I hurriedly swallow my mouthful.
I look down, avoiding his eyes. “And you know a corporate guy like that would only take everything out ofJude’s Placethat makes it…Jude’s place.” The familiar black cloud creeping over me and making itself known.
Softly brushing his hand over my cheek, his voice is soft and warm. “You know it’llalwaysbeJude’s Place. No matter what.”
